Automatic regulator for internal-combustion engines



April 19, 1927 1,625,719

L. FERRETTE AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 4, 1926 Jay. 1.

Lou I 5 Ferre++c INVENTOR,

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' 40 of the invention.

Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES I 1,625,719 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS FERRETTE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

-LUTOmTIC BEG'ULATORFOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES. I I

Application filed May 4, 1926, Serial No. 106,774, and in France January 6, 1928.

The present invention relates to an automatic regulator for the admission of gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine, and more specifically deals with means to prevent the engine from exceeding a desired speed when operating without load, even though the accelerator is open to an excessi've degree.

The apparatus of this invention is designed to be mounted upon and become a part of the intake manifold and located between the carburetter and the intake valves.

The device acts upon a throttle or butterfly valve usually provided in such engines.

To this end the invention is shown to con sist of actuating mechanism for rotating the pivotal shaft of the throttle, valve, and this actuating mechanism in this present case consists of-a pinion carried by the/shaft.

go which pinion is engaged and moved by a rack carried by a shaft. At one end of this shaft apiston -is located and at the other enda damping device. Means is also provided such as a tension spring to prevent an undue and sudden reciprocation of the shaft above mentioned.

The butterflyvalve is carried in an aperture through which the gaseous fuel is drawn in the usual manner and this aperture-is I0 ported 'so that there is communication between the aperture and the space at the piston head.

Means are also provided for limiting the amount of vacuum in the regulator cylinder and for adjusting the starting positionof the throttle or butterfly valve. In the drawings one form of the device is illustrated in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section of the device of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the embodiment illus trated, I have shown a main body block at a which is provided with the aperture 1) through which the gaseous fuel is normally drawn to the engine proper.- Thisbody block is secured in place on the intake manifold between the carburetter and the intake valves by means of ordinary bolts (not shown) which pass through the holes a. A throttle or butterfly valve is shown at (1 adapted to substantially open or close the aperture 7), upon the shaft On the lower end of the shaft 6 is mounted a pinion h secured as by means of screw 9 and supported in a 'bearing 7:. A ring 1' secured in place by means of screw 8 serves to regulate the axial movement of the shaft 6.

The pinion y is adapted to engage a rack a forming part of a reciprocable shaft which carries at one end a piston h movable in a cylinder f. This cylinder is connected to the aperture b by means of the conduit 9.

rhreaction spring 2 urges the piston to its initial position after having been moved under the action of the vacuum created in aperture 6. In the other end of the recipro cable shaft is provided a damping piston or device n operating within the cylinder Z. This cylinder is adapted to be filled with a heavy oil or "stifl grease sufficiently fluid however to pass through the ports 10 in the piston 11.. This combination prevents rapid movement of the piston n and therefore the reciprocable shaft in either direction.

The cylinders f and Z are closed by the end plugs p and 0 respectively. A stuffing box If rovided with its complementary part 'UI'IS provided at the damping end of the reciprocable shaft and serves also as a bearing for the shaft.

A regulating screw m may be used to control the amount of vacuum in the cylinder 7 by opening or closing the conduit g.

When the engine is not in operation the throttle valve (2 is in position shown by the dotted line '0 in Fig. 1, this bein the open position corresponding toatmosp eric pressure. When in operation a vacuum is normally produced in the intake manifold and therefore in the aperture b. The cylinder f communicating with the aperture 6 will likewise become subject to the vacuum, the degree of vacuum depending upon the engine speed.

The piston 72. is held in its normal position as shown in Fig. 2 by the spring a. When a vacuum is produced in the aperture b and therefore in the space at the 100 head of the piston or in the cylinder f, this piston will be moved in the direction of arrow 3 drawing with it the rack 13 and the pinion 7' which causes a rotation of the throttle valve (Z into the closed posiwe tion. This cuts oif the supply of fuel from the engine, the engine at once slows down until there is a balance between the vacuum existing in the cylinder f and the tension of the spring 2.

To prevent sudden movements or, a pumping effect in the reciprocable shaft,

particularly when the engine proceeds, from slow to high operating speeds, the cylinder Z is filled with a stiff grease sufliciently fluid however to pass through the ports w so that the piston n serves to 'dampen the shafts movement in either direction. At the same time this grease thoroughly lubricates the piston and its rod.

The position of the butterfly or throttle valve d may be adjusted by backin off the screw g and rotating the shaft (2 relative tothe rack and then securing the parts in the desired position.

The device is entirely closed by a cover so, that all adjustable parts are entirely'enclosed which effectively prevents tampering with the device.

Obviously the apparatus is suitable for regulating all internal combustion engines which are adapted to produce either pressure or vacuum. The invention is susceptible to various modifications without departing from the principle of the invention. The spring 2 may be placed on the other side of piston h and may act by tension.

I claim:

1. An automaticregulating device for internal combuston engines comprising a main body block, an a erture therein through which fuel is admitted to the intake manifold'of an engine, a throttle valve pivotally mounted in said aperture, a shaft reciprocable in said block at right angles to the throttle axis, a piston on one end of said shaft and responsive to negative pressure in said aperture, a spring for returning the piston to its initial osition, a conduit entirely within the body block allowing communication between the fuel aperture and the space at the head of said piston, a damping device attached to the opposite end of said shaft and opposing movement of said piston, and throttle operating mechanism located between the piston and damping device and actuated by movement of in said aperture, 2. sprmg for returningthe piston to its initial position, a conduit entirely within the body block allowing com- .munication between the fuel aperture and the space at the head of said piston, a double acting damping device attached to the opposite end of said shaft and opposing movement of said piston in either direction, said damping device being enclosed in the body block, and throttle operating mechanism located between the piston and damping device and actuated by movement of said shaft.

Signed at Paris in the Department of Seine and Republic of France this 12th day of March, A. D. 1926.

LOUIS FERRETTE. 

